The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow'r.
6 Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And scan his work in vain ;
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.
Hymn 70. C. M.
Servants of God always Safe.
1 How are thy servants bless'd, O Lord,
How sure is their defence!
Eternal wisdom is their guide,
Their help, Omnipotence.
2 In foreign realms and lands remote,
Supported by thy care;
Through burning climes they pass unhurt,
And breathe in tainted air.
3 When by the dreadful tempest borne
High on the broken wave,
They know thou art not slow to hear,
Nor impotent to save.
4 The storm is laid the winds retire,
Obedient to thy will:
The sea that roars at thy command,
At thy command is still.
5 In midst of dangers, fears, and deaths,
Thy goodness we'll adore ;
We'll praise thee for thy mercies past,
And humbly hope for more.
6 Our life, while thou preserv'st that life,
Thy sacrifice shall be ;
And death, when death shall be our lot,
Shall join our souls to thee.
Reliance on Divine Providence.
GIVE to the winds thy fears,
Hope, and be undismay'd;
God hears thy sighs, and counts thy tears,
God shall lift up thy head:
Through waves, and clouds, and storms,
He gently clears thy way;
Wait thou his time, so shall this night,
Soon end in joyous day.
2 Still heavy is thy heart,
Still sinks thy spirits down?
Cast off the weight, let fear depart,
And ev'ry care begone.
What though thou rulest not,
Yet heav'n, and earth, and hell
Proclaim God sitteth on the throne,
And ruleth all things well.
3 Leave to his sov'reign sway
To choose and to command;
So shalt thou, wond'ring, own his way,
How wise, how strong his hand!
Far, far above thy thought
His counsel shall appear,
When fully he the work hath wrought,
That caus'd thy needless fear.
'Thou see'st our weakness, Lord;
Our hearts are known to thee;
O lift thou up the sinking head,
Confirm the feeble knee:
Let us in life, in death,
Thy steadfast truth declare;
And publish with our latest breath,
Thy love and guardian care,
Hymn 72. S. M.
Reliance on Divine Providence.
COMMIT thou all thy griefs
And ways into his hands,
To his sure trust and tender care,
Who earth and heav'n commands:
Who points the clouds their course,
Whom wind and seas obey,
He shall direct thy wand'ring feet,
He shall prepare thy way.
Thou on the Lord rely,
So safe shalt thou go on;
Fix on his work thy steadfast eye,
So shall thy work be done :
No profit canst thou gain,
By self-consuming care;
To him commend thy cause, his ear
Attends the softest pray'r.
3 Thine everlasting truth,
Father, thy ceaseless love,
Sees all thy children's wants, and knows
What best for each will prove :
And whatsoe'er thou will'st
Thou do'st, O King of Kings!
What thine unerring wisdom chose,
Thy power to being brings.
Thou ev'ry where hast sway,
And all things serve thy might,
Thine ev'ry act pure blessing is,
Thy path unsully'd light.
When thou arisest, Lord,
What shall thy work withstand?
When all thy children want, thou giv'st,
Who, who shall stay thy hand?
Hymn 73. L. M.
On Opening a New Place of Worship.
Psalm lxxxvii. 5.
1 AND will the Lord, Almighty God,
On earth establish his abode ?
And will he from his radiant throne,
Avow our temples for his own?
2 We bring the tribute of our praise,
And sing that condescending grace,
Which to our notes will lend an ear,
And call us, sinful mortals, near.
3 Our Father's watchful care we bless,
Which guards our synagogues in peace,
That no tumultuous foes invade,
To fill our worshippers with dread.
4 These walls we to thy honour raise;
Long may they echo with thy praise;
And thou descending fill the place,
With choicest tokens of thy grace.
5 Here let the great Redeemer reign,
With all the graces of his train;
While power divine his word attends,
To conquer foes and cheer his friends.
6 And in the great decisive day,
When God the nations shall survey,
May it before the world appear,
That crowds were born to glory here.
Hymn 74. C. M.
On Opening a Place for Social Prayer.
1 O LORD, our languid souls inspire,
For here we trust thou art!
Send down a coal of heav'nly fire,
To warm each waiting heart.
2 Great Shepherd of thy people, hear,
Thy presence now display;
As thou hast giv'n a place for prayer,
So give us hearts to pray.
3 Show us some token of thy love,
Our fainting hope to raise ;
And pour thy blessing from above,
That we may render praise.,
4 Within these walls let holy praise,
And love and concord dwell;
Here give the troubled conscience ease,
The wounded spirit heal.
5 The feeling heart, the melting eye,
The humble mind bestow;
And shine upon us from on high,
To make our graces grow.
6 May we in faith receive thy word,
In faith present our prayers;
And in the presence of our Lord,
Unbosom all our cares.
7 And may the gospel's joyful sound,
Enforc'd by mighty grace,
Awaken many sinners round,
To come and fill the place.
Hymn 75. L. M.
People's Prayer for their Minister.
1 WITH heav'nly pow'r, O Lord, defend,
Him, whom we now to thee commend;
His person bless, his soul secure,
And make him to the end endure.
2 Gird him with all-sufficient grace,
Direct his feet in paths of peace:
Thy truth and faithfulness fulfil,
And help him to obey thy will.
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